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Arthur's Thanksgiving
Students investigate Thanksgiving by reading a children's book. In this holiday lesson plan, students read Arthur's Thanksgiving by Marc Brown and create a turkey fact book after reading an electronic encyclopedia. Students bring in...
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Role Models
Third graders create posters of heroes and present their findings and what they think it means to be a hero. In this role models lesson plan, 3rd graders compare heroes and describe their characteristics.
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Lose a Vote, Gain a Vote
Students explore the issues behind close Senatorial races. They investigate the qualities of political leaders, the 2002 senatorial elections and the differences and similarities between the Republican and Democratic parties.
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Shifting Wins
Students analyze how the outcome of the 2002 midterm elections changed the balance of power in the government. They write a news analysis and evaluation of how the nation be governed in the future.
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Science Under Control
Pupils investigate and assess scientific issues for which government regulation has been or might be enacted. Using their research, students write letters to lawmakers supporting or contesting related legislative efforts.
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Inspection Gadgets
Students examine the weapons used in past wars to prepare for a mock weapons inspection, then write a report detailing the state of weapons technology during a specific time period.
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A Shot in the Dark?
Learners ask and answer their own questions about smallpox and the smallpox vaccine. They create outlines for an informative CD-ROM that could be distributed to health care professionals.
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Prairie Dog Prognosis
Students discuss the transmission of diseases from exotic pets to humans. They research different aspects of particular zoonotic diseases from the perspectives of the animal vector, the parasite, the infected human, and the carrier human.
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Different Strokes
Students explore a Maine community in which a sudden influx of Somali immigrants has resulted in tension between the Somalis and the local residents. They create a handbook explaining aspects of the Somali culture to an American audience.
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An Ancient Odyssey
Students identify both the traditional myths and historical facts that are associated with geographical locations in ancient Greece. They create a "Travel to Ancient Greece" display to present their findings.
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It All Adds Up
Students brainstorm reasons for politicians to expand recycling programs and find statistics to support recycling programs. They design posters, displaying a compelling statistic about recycling, to convince students at their school to...
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Squaring Off
Students define examples of patterns and explore the makeup and purpose of patterns found in nature. They create models illustrating the patterns researched in class and relaying the purpose of patterns in various natural objects.
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Breathing Easier
Students explore asthma, and then write proposals outlining how teachers, coaches, administrators and school support staff can be better prepared to treat students with asthma.
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Critical Path
Students widen their understanding of the different points of view surrounding current news topics. They research a current controversy on which public opinion is divided and write a concise commentary on the topic expressing a strong...
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Looking Back, Up and Ahead
Students explore how scientists have forecasted the 2002 Leonid meteor shower. They pose their own predictions for peak meteor rates per hour during the 2002 shower and compare their results with actual observed rates.
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Power House
Students reflect, speculate, identify, research, and create a blueprint for renewable energy sources.
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Changing the Channel
Learners explore the historic transfer of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama, investigating how this shift might affect various aspects of Panama's economy, relations with other countries, and international trade.
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A Story of Democracy
Students focus on the recent Mexican elections to evaluate how different journalistic accounts can present different aspects of the same event.
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Mint Condition
Students investigate the old currencies used by the twelve countries adopting the euro in 2002. They explore the national identity of those countries through the symbols preserved on the 'national face' of the new euro currency.
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Playing By Different Rules
Students explore the concept of American imperialism by researching and analyzing historical examples of American imperialism. They draft a set of laws that would govern the actions of powerful nations in other countries.
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A Burning Desire to Move?
Students consider the dangers of living around active volcanoes. They develop media campaigns to encourage different groups of residents around Mount Vesuvius to consider moving.
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Forceful Persuasion
Students investigate U.S. foreign policy in Middle Eastern countries, and rank their level of support for American military and diplomatic actions.
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Spaced Out
Students explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
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Reporting in Letters
Students investigate the cultures and politics of different countries and write radio letters to listeners in those countries modeled after Alistair Cooke's "Letter from America."